Various sensing technologies exist for measuring various physical parameters in the environment of an oil well such as pressure and temperature, such as electronic strain gauge, quartz-based oscillation, distributed temperature sensing (e.g., using Raman back-scattering or Bragg gratings), or distributed optical pressure sensing using Bragg gratings, such as is discussed in Ser. No. 08/925,598 entitled "High Sensitivity Fiber Optic Pressure Sensor for Use in Harsh Environments" to Robert J. Maron, or distributed optical liquid fraction sensing using fiber optics, such as is discussed in and Ser. No. 09/105,534 entitled "Fluid Parameter Measurement in Pipes Using Acoustic Pressures".
In certain sensing applications, such as applications in the oil and gas industry, it may be desirable to sense different parameters, the same parameter, or different locations, at different times in the life of an oil well. For example, it may initially be desirable to sense pressure at a single or limited number of locations within a well when the well is first placed into production. Later in the life of the well, it may be desirable to sense pressure and temperature on a distributed basis within the well. Alternatively, it may be desirable to sense different parameters of interest later in the life of the well such as liquid fraction, dynamic pressure.
From a well operator's point of view, it is undesirable to pay for information that is not needed. Therefore, the well operator may be willing to pay a premium for certain information early in the life of a well, and other different information later in the life of a well. However, it is extremely costly to intervene in an operating well to install sensors and equipment because of lost production when the well is being worked and the cost of actually doing the work, particularly in harsh environments, such as on an off shore platform.